Lily's POV
Zane lied to me.
The words pounded like a slow, steady drum in the back of my mind as I stormed out of his office. My pulse was rapid, not from fear, but fury. That hidden file I'd found, a buried link between Ethan and Zane's empire, wasn't just a mistake. It was a fracture. A clean break in the shaky trust we'd been trying to build. And now, everything I thought I knew was beginning to crack.
The city outside Blackwood Enterprises looked colder, meaner. The streetlamps glared like accusations. I pushed through the front doors and stepped into the freezing night air, the echo of Zane's voice still buzzing in my head.
I wanted to protect you.
From what, Zane? The truth?
I walked. For blocks. For miles, maybe. With the picture of Ethan in my pocket like a loaded gun. He was out there. Alive. Watching. Planning. Zane had known him before me. Had worked with him. Just how deep did this go?
Eventually, I ended up at a bench by the river, the wind whipping cold across the water. I pulled out the photo. Ethan's smile was smug, triumphant. He wasn't just haunting me. He was sending a message.
But fear wasn't what I felt now.
Anger. Boiling, raw, and dangerous.
"You're not going to win this time," I whispered, folding the photo in half. My phone buzzed.
Zane. I stared at the screen, then turned the phone off. Let him wonder what I knew. Let him sweat.
…........
The next morning, I didn't go to the office. I needed answers, and I knew exactly who could help me get them.
Madison Ward.
A name from another life. A tech genius who could crack anything with a screen. We hadn't spoken in years, but she owed me. And if anyone could dig into Zane Blackwood's secrets, it was her.
She opened the door of her brownstone, still in a silk robe, coffee in hand. Her eyes widened. "Lily? Holy hell, is it you?"
I nodded once. "I need help."
Madison ushered me inside, her place as chaotic as ever… piles of tech, glowing monitors, and books stacked in uneven towers.
Let me guess, she said, flopping onto her couch. It's about a guy.
Two guys.
"Oof." She sipped her coffee. "I'm listening."
I laid it all out. Ethan. Zane. The photo. The hidden files. Her expression darkened with every word.
You think Zane was working with Ethan? she asked.
"I think he knew more than he told me. And I think someone inside Blackwood Enterprises is still feeding Ethan information."
Madison's fingers twitched. Then we dig.
By noon, we were parked outside one of Zane's lesser-known properties—an old warehouse listed in one of the documents from the vault.
Madison worked fast, her laptop glowing in the passenger seat. "I'm in. Security's a joke."
Then let's go.
We slipped in through a side door. The place was mostly storage—boxes, outdated equipment, and crates. But something felt off. I could feel it in my bones.
Then we found the back room. Locked.
Think you can…?
Madison pulled a bobby pin from her hair. "Please."
Thirty seconds later, the lock clicked. We stepped inside.
The room was small and cold. On the lone desk was a black folder.
My name was written on the front.
I froze. Is this a joke?
Madison opened it carefully, her eyes widening. "Lily… these are surveillance reports."
I grabbed the papers. I saw my photos. Time-stamped notes. Details of places I'd been, people I'd talked to. From months ago. Before I'd even met Zane.
He was watching me, I said in a low voice. Even before Ethan disappeared.
Madison's voice dropped. "This is bigger than we thought."
When we got back to her place, we didn't speak much. I just stared at the folder, my mind racing. What had I walked into?
Then my phone buzzed again with Unknown Number:Meet me at Pier 19. Midnight. Come alone. Or the truth dies with me.
I showed Madison the messages. Could be Ethan. Or worse, she murmured.
…......
The docks were shrouded in fog. Midnight came fast, and with it, a biting wind. I stood at the edge of the pier, I put my phone in pocket, my heart was racing in my chest.
A silhouette appeared through the haze. A woman. Older. Sharp eyes. Cold smile.
"Lily Morgan," she said.
I took a step forward. Who are you?
Someone who knew your father. Someone who knew what Mercy Ledger was.
Oh, really!! What do you want then? I aske her.
She handed me a flash drive. This will destroy Zane Blackwood and you, if you're not careful.
Why help me?
Because he destroyed someone I loved. Before I could ask more, she vanished into the fog.
…....…
Back at Madison's, we loaded the drive. Such as e-mails, wire transfers, videos and then…a recording of Zane and Ethan.
They are fighting.
This isn't what we agreed on! Ethan shouted.
The plans change, Zane said coldly. Collateral damage was always part of the deal.
You used her!
"She was always part of the plan."
I backed away from the screen, my world cracking.
"He used me," I whispered.
Madison's hand gripped mine. "But he doesn't own you."
I nodded. Wiped my tears. And packed the flash drive. It was time.
…....
I returned to Blackwood Enterprises the next morning. Zane was at his desk, surprised to see me.
"Lily, I…"
I slammed the door You down. You tell me. His face drained of color. "Where did you get that?"
"Does it matter?"
He opened his mouth. I raised a hand. "Save it. I saw the video. I know what you said. I know what you did."
"It wasn't what it looked like, not as you think…"
"Then explain. Now."
He stood, his voice quiet. "We were desperate. Ethan and I. We thought your father's charity was the key to everything. But you... you weren't supposed to matter. And then you did."
I stared at him, disgust and heart tangling in my throat.
"You planned my pain."
"I fell in love with you," he said, my voice started cracking. "I tried to undo it."
I stepped back. "Love doesn't erase betrayal."
He reached for me. Let me fix it.
I don't need fixing, I snapped. I need the truth.
His eyes locked on mine. "Then sit. Because what I'm about to tell you… changes everything."
To be continued...